Before becoming an agent, I was an editor for ten years, publishing fiction at Penguin, HarperCollins and Random House. Over the past ten years as an agent, I have built up a wide-ranging list of prize-winning and bestselling crime and thriller writers, and authors of contemporary and historical women’s fiction, and I’m currently open to submissions.

With my background as an editor, I take a hands-on approach to working with authors on their manuscripts, editing and developing their work, with a view to developing long-term writing careers.

My list is made up of everything I like to read – gripping fiction featuring characters you can’t get enough of and whom you don’t want to part with at the end of a novel. I love dark stories but also uplifting love stories, too, and I’m keen to find more stories set in unusual or far-flung places. I love to learn more about a place and its inhabitants as I think fiction is all about escapism!

In terms of what I’m looking for: on the crime side, I love dark thrillers that keep me turning the page long into the night and that surprise me with plot twists and interesting narrative structures; crime series featuring new and fresh lead investigators; high-concept thrillers (contemporary or historical) that have a ‘what if?’ plot structure and say something about our society now or then.

On the historical fiction side, I love stories which combine a great sense of place and time (ideally, post-1800, please) with a mystery. I’m also a huge fan of anything set in a spooky old house so Gothic, atmospheric historical thrillers are also top of my wishlist!

Contemporary-wise, I love novels which have a discussable issue at their heart – and could work well for a heated book club discussion – as well as sweeping family stories about mothers, sisters and daughters (set anywhere in the world).

In case it’s helpful to know what I don’t represent: non-fiction, children’s and young adult books, science fiction, fantasy, spy, conspiracy or political thrillers.

My favourite authors include Anita Shreve, Elizabeth Strout, Philippa Gregory, William Boyd, John le Carre and Maggie O’Farrell. Books I’ve recently enjoyed have been Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers, The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell, How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie and The Appeal by Janice Hallett.

Clients: Nikki Allen, Dani Atkins, Johanna Bell, Scarlett Brade, Andy Briggs, Emma Cowell, Estate of Teresa Crane, Will Dean, Paul Finch, Fiona Ford, Jean Fullerton, John Kennedy, Caroline Khoury, Sarah Lee , Beryl Matthews, Lia Middleton, Sara Ochs, Kate Thompson, Mary Torjussen, Hannah Treave, John Trenhaile, Anne-Marie Varga, Luca Veste